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G. B. FIELD.

v Ore Amaigamator. No. 68.175 Patented Aug. .27, 1867.

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AM. PHOTO-LITHGZCOJX. (OSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

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Letters Patent No. 68,175, dated August 27, 1867.

IMPROVED AMALGAMATOB.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

- Be itknown that I, GEORGE B. FIELD, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have inventeda new and improved Amalgamator; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, and-in which- Figure 1 represents a top view of myinvention. Figure 2 is a cross-section of the same through the centre ofthe arms G G. "Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin the two figures.

In this invention the pulverizing-roller has a backward and forwardmotion through the segment of a circle in an amalgam-chamber of theproper form. The amalgam-chambers, settling-chambers, rollers, andagitators are'so constructed and arranged that they will occupy alessspace than in any amalgamator now in use of equal capacity. All theparts except the rollers and bottom of the amalgam chambers may be madeof wood,

at a trifling expense, and the rollers and bottoms of the chambers maybe made of wood, stone, or metal.

In order that others skilled in the art to whichmy invention appertainsmay be enabled to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe itin detail.

In the drawings, A A are the amalgam-chambers, constituting, together,an annular box, with vertical walls and a horizontal bottom. Eachchamber is an are or segment of the'annular box, which may consist oftwo or any greater number of such chambers. Inside of the circleenclosed by the ring of amalgam-chambers is a similar ring ofsettling-chambers, BB '13, corresponding in number and position to theamalgam-chambers, but

situated below them, so that the tops of the inner or settling-chambersare about 'on a level with the bottoms of the amalgam-chambers. ConduitsC C, at the bottom of the inner wall of the chambers A A, lead into thechambers B B. i

In the centre of the apparatus above describcd,'in a cylindrical box orscreen, E, stands a vertical shaft, D, furnished with stout horizontalarms G G, o'ne extending across each settling-chamber to the outer wallof the adjoiningamalgamdramber, and bearing agitators FF, which projectdownward into the chambers B B, rollersHH, bearing in frames I I, andhoppers K K'. The latter rest upon the arms G G, and hold the ore in itsraw, unreduccd condition. Agitating-bottoms k is are employed in them,similar in construction to the agitating-bottoms of the seed-boxes ofmachines for sowing grain, and having the necessary vibrating motionimparted by means of cams or in any other suitable manner. Through theseperforated bottoms the ore is fed slowly to the amalgam-chamber below,where it is thoroughly crushed and ground to powder by the forward andbackward motion of .the'rollers H. These rollers may .be made of stoneor metal, as may be most convenient. They rest upon the ore and rolloverit, crushing it by their weight, and at thesame time, as they swingaround the arc of the circle from one end of the chamber to the other,they grind heavily on the horizontal floor, in the same manner thatear-wheels grind on' the rails of a railroad in passing a curve. Theeffect of this combined crushing and grinding is to pulverize the oremore thoroughly than is accomplished by any other machine. The orehaving been pulverized andamalgamatedin the chamber A, the amalgam istaken out and the residuum is washed into the settling-chambers B B,which are filled to the outlet pipe 6 with water. Tlrere it is subjectedto the vibrating action of the foraminous agitators F F, and the solubleparticles are separated and washed away through the pipes 11 6, whilethe insoluble particles fall to the bottom and are secured byoccasionally drawing of the water.

The machine may be worked by an engine by connecting the piston-rod by apitman to either arm G. A vibrating motion back and forth through'thelength of the chambers A A is all that is required, and by the directapplication of the power, as just described, all the expensive andcumbersome apparatus for resolvingforward and backward into rotarymotion can be dispensed with. This is an item of no small importunce inmachines designed to be used in mines remote from the settled portion ofthe country, as the expense and difficulty of transporting heavyshafting, flywheels, &c.,.to such localities is enormous. For the samereason my machine is superior to others in'use, in that every part ofit, except the rollers HH and the floors of the chambers A A can be madeof wood, while the rollers and floor can be made of stone. Thesematerials are abundant and cheap in every locality.

One great advantage in my apparatus is its compactness. Every availablepart of the circular space occupied by the machine is made use of. Oneshaft supports every part of the ninvable'working machinery. The powercan be applied at the ends of the arms G G, where it will be completelyutilized. A small engine applying the power thus will accomplish morethan a very large one applying it to thecentral shaft.-

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement and combination of the rollers H H with the segmentamalgam-chambers A A, so thatthe former shall Work back and forth in thelatter to produce at the same time aerushing and grinding of the ores,in the manner and for the purpose substantially as above set forth.

v 2. The combination and arrangement of the vertical shaft D arms G G,hoppers K K, and rollers H H, working in chambers A A, substantially asand for the purpose described.

The arrangement of the amalgam-chambers A. A and settling-chambers B B,connected by the conduits C G, substantially as described.

4. The arrangement of the chambers A A with the chambers 13 B, shaft D,arms G-G, agitators F F,

hoppers K K, and rollers H H, substantially as specified.

GEO. B. FIELD.

Witnesses:

WM. F. MeNAMAnA, Cmmnns A. PETTIT.

